


Exceptions to the Rule?

by Fault



Category: John Wick (Movies)
Genre: thought experiment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-30
Updated: 2019-09-30
Packaged: 2020-11-08 05:34:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,356
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20830238
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fault/pseuds/Fault
Summary: The High Council meet to discuss an unusual policy decision.





	Exceptions to the Rule?

Before we go anywhere. This is fictional. John Wick is super pretend. This is a thought experiment that mocks anti-science policy for having less regard for humanity than a bunch of cold-hearted killers for hire. If you don't care about human rights, this isn't the fiction for you, move along. If you feel I failed in my goal of mocking inhuman policies as a concept, then let me know. Ok? ok. 

...

The chamber is tastefully decorated, and made of sandstone. The air should be cool and refreshing at this time of year. It is not. It is poorly air-conditioned, and humid. The seasons have shifted. There are more anomalous storms, and resultant rising damp.

The upkeep of the priceless artefacts and treasures that litter the walls and book cases is becoming more difficult, more expensive. One of the many little discomforts that creep into even the lives of the rich, in the face of climate change.

The omnipresent funk of this impertinent weather is in fact the reason why the Council has been called today. This topic of discussion is unlike any other that has come before. 

The Elder bring the Council to order. “This is a special meeting to do with the administration of acceptable target prices.” He looks to the Adjudicator to expound upon this opening statement.

They comply. “Yes. It appears that a subset of climate change activists have gained access to our services.”

The Adjudicator says. “We don't discriminate based on politics. Impartiality is good for business.”

The Elder continues. “Nor do we intend to discriminate. The problem is this. Their bids frequently do not meet our minimum price standards.”

The head of the Triads butts in. “The penalty for making overly small offers is hardly punitive. They simply do not get their reservation accepted. Then they have to wait a reasonable period before making an offer on a different target.”

The Elder clarifies. “I am proposing that we accept their bids as is.” 

This provoked a shocked murmur around the table, with one notable exception. This is no surprise. Venice is already succumbing to the sea. The head of that Family looks at the Adjudicator with brightly sparkling eyes.

The Adjudicator calmly continues. “There is a reason we set certain targets so high a price. Destabilising societies and governments is bad for business. After all, there's no need to hire trained assassins when people are killing one another in the street for free.”

The Venice Family head chimes in. “Climate change is already destabilising governments. Are we just going to sit back an let half or our markets burn, sink or blow away?”

Another voice speaks up. “If we took as active role in world politics, then we would interfere with colonisation and annexation activities too. They've traditionally been the quickest way to impoverish a nation.”

The Adjudicator explains the Council's past decisions. “This we have not done, because colonialism and capitalism go hand in hand, and we have always found ourselves freest to operate within a open capitalist colonial society, or under the less competent of dictatorships. Social democracies track tax too tightly, they're too invested in their own society's stability for their prosperity.” 

Another voice pipes in on a lighter note. “There is a reason why Scandinavia has always been a poor market for us. And it's not because amateurs get inspired by the local crime fiction.”

The Adjudicator “Distrust between governments, has traditionally been one of the factors that helps us operate undisturbed. Climate change refugees have helped keep people distrustful, but if the weather keeps on as it is set to, none of our markets will survive. We will all be impoverished by the effects of climate change. This is what differs from previous crises we have faced. There is no tax haven, no stable retreat, nowhere we can sit this one out. This is a crisis that will cause global effects for thousands of years.” 

“Surely the people who we have helped enrich will make a place for us in their retreats away from this catastrophe.” A worried voice pipes up.

“Not likely. The underworld is tainted. We are not associated with publicly.”

The Adjudicator interrupts. “The other thing to consider when making this decision is that the fewer hands that hold money, the harder it is to segment the market properly so that we can all prosper. We keep this Council to stop from treading on one another's toes, but this is becoming hard. It is making my job difficult. Many of these targets would allow for a significant redistribution of wealth into more diverse hands.”

“Our services may be used by others for this purpose, but to do so on our own behalf, through this sort of proxy? It seems crass. In violation of some Code, either by letter or by spirit.”

“Perhaps so. But as the Head of the esteemed Family mentioned, the point that the world will burn is not only a pertinent point, it is inescapable without drastic action. We will all suffer unless significant change is made, and made quickly.”

“Can't we leave this to governments to fix? Our business is not environmental preservation.”

“The majority of countries have shown themselves incompetent for the last several decades in this regard. There is little reason to expect things will change in the near future. And it is the near future in which this change needs to be made, to avoid a global catastrophe.”

“So it's agreed, we will start allowing these bids to go through?”

“We cannot allow it. We do not want to devalue the worth of a human life. But at the same time, we cannot mark these as special due to our new climate change policy. It shows a favouritism that is not in keeping with out general ethos.”

“My proposed solution is that we allow it only in the American market. The value on life there is already so low. Look how many children they allow to fall to gun violence each and every day. Life is very cheap there right now. If we allow cheap assassinations there, who will question it?”

“This is true. Not only that, their medical system is in ruins. If their anti-vaxx rate keeps up, they'll have whole populations fall into lawless chaos under the burden of successive epidemics. It won't be a viable market if this happens in any case, so it will be a small loss if we cause troubles.”

“But, it is currently an excellent market. It's very easy to operate here. This is a corollary of life being so cheap. We don't want to doom it so easily.”

“The idea is not to doom it, it is to repair it. It is going to crumble without intervention. Sooner rather than later. Look how little they invest in climate change mitigation, let alone curbing their own impact on the environment. Have you seen the worldwide deforestation their companies cause? They're making a desert of the Amazon.”

Another voice chips in a counter argument. “If we're going for effective climate change action. Why not Australia too? They have a disproportionate number of the type of requests, due to their attitude towards coal though also for human rights violations. They mine a third of the world's total supply.”

The Adjudicator counters. “No. Life isn't so cheap there. Their gun control laws were very quick to tighten in the face of mass murder.” 

“Not only will deaths be more disruptive in a smaller society, most assassins could not use their most convenient tool of assassination without a lot of administrative support, and that costs. Combined with the low bounties, not only would it look suspicious, it's unlikely to have a good take-up rate. Really, I think it's best to trial the initiative in America alone.” 

“Then it is decided upon. We shall write up a precis of effective criteria management to avoid project over-reach, and proceed carefully on a case by case basis, in a limited market area.”

“Put it to vote?”

They all look around at one another. Wondering how many hands will rise for “Aye” and how many for “Nay”.

...

**Author's Note:**

> If you can identify a single person the Council was referring to offing, that says a lot more about you than me. As I said: thought experiment about generalities, and mocking of inhuman policies. If you see yourself in this mirror, that's not my fault. This is a dark and twisted mirror.


End file.
